DJB 49 said:
. I have thought about replacing it with the 24-120 but would need to be convinced it really was better than the 28-105mm.

the 28 -105 get good reviews the advantage of the 16 -120 is its extra range;
I use mine a lot at both ends

but that may not be important to you

I have had a 16-35mm f4 which I have not used too much and which has given me oddly inconsistent results. So much so that I did a whole load of tests on it which look absolutely fine, so it must be me!

My normal 'walk-around' lens is a 28-105 f3.5-4.4 AF D that I bought many years ago for my F100 and which continually produces lovely sharp images, including in its macro mode. For a budget lens, I think it is a real bargain and I am happy to continue to use it on my D800. I have thought about replacing it with the 24-120 but would need to be convinced it really was better than the 28-105mm. I might hire one and see!

Shees I don't know what you guys are complaining about. By an unfortunate turn of events I ended up with the 24-120 F3.5-5.6 VR. I can't even give this lens away. I'm using a dinky old 28-80 f3.3-5.6 while I wait for it to start raining 24-70 f2.8's. The 28-80 is actually bloody good though... Amazing what you can find for around $60 nowadays haha

msmoto i have been looking at MTF and reviews on the lens since it was under consideration. It seems normal to lose at the edge with this (and many lenses)from what I have read and see on MTF charts. It falls to a 3 or less at the edges at 24mm. i'd give a link, but just as easy to google the lens and add MTF. that way i dont get looked at with evil intent. ;- >

The 24-85 f3.5 isnt any better at the edges according to the MTF chart I was looking at.

Yes MTF is for mesaurabaters however ...... /shrugs

TTJ: I thought about the 24-85 (I've even seen good things about the earlier versions), but I'd miss the added zoom length. I'm still adjusting to "losing" 100mm off my 70-300. I know that the 120 isn't quite going to be the 155-ish mm that my 18-105 gave me (even my 105 macro seems nearly wide-ish on a 600), but it's a darn sight closer than the 85 would be (and the extra 4mm at the wide end will be nice, since the widest thing I've got right now is the 28-300.

Thanks, everybody, for the input. I don't mind spending the extra as long as the quality justifies it; conversely, I don't want to "save" only to have to buy something else later. I'm not a pro, but that's no excuse to be sloppy. ;) Rather get it right the first time...

@ sevencrossing...thank you. It is a lens one can simply carry around and it gets the job done no matter what. And the VR allows those shots in the dark!

msmoto said:
If by chance someone thinks there is a problem with my lens,

look very similar to the results I get with mine

The 24 f 1.4 @f4 is sharper at the edges than the 24- 120 @f4 but as we have agreed, as a "do nearly everything" lens, the 24 -120 f4, is very hard to beat

Well, I have checked out my copy of the 24-120mm f/4.0 VR Nikkor and here it is. Images at 24mm, 70mm, 120mm and f/4, 5.6, 8, 11. The lens has a lot of barrel distortion...seen only in architectural shots and easily corrected in PP. It looks sharp even wide open in the center, but at all apertures the edges fall off. Some may be due to a curvature of field in the focal plane, but it is clear that my copy is soft near the edges.

If by chance someone thinks there is a problem with my lens, please let me know. It has never been dropped or even really bumped, but does not appear to be performing as well as when new.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/sets/72157631983618062/detail/

sevencrossing said:....

i promised you will not kick yourself for spending the extra $1,100 on the new f/4 VR

7xing: I hesitated for months to buy this lens. I have great glass already in this range, so I couldn't see spending the money to duplicate focal lengths and zoom coverage I already had. No matter, you are right: this was well worth the investment in terms of versatility. It's on my camera most of the time now.

The older ones are not that good nor that bad. They should be considered as "kit" zooms. Snapshots are fine, but for paid work I never consider it. I use it mostly for family holidays - it's good for that. It will not pull the most from what the sensor can offer, but it does what it does, and for a cheap price. The newest of the old versions is the best of the bunch. I would pay $200-$250 for it but nothing more.

The If you are just looking for a walk-around lens, the Nikon 24-85vr seems to perform well enough If you are not looking for spending too much.

The F4 is a great lens. I have rented it multiple times for work, and I really like it, sharp, fast, and a good working range. That's on my Xmas list this year.

lets put it this way, it is difficult to find a good reviews of the old 24 -120

it is difficult o find a bad review of the new 24- 120 vr f4

i promised you will not kick yourself for spending the extra $1,100 on the new f/4 VR

@ aslightdelay I would suggest you take your new D600 into the store and test the various used lenses. Carry your computer with you, download the images and see what you think. Then you will know exactly what you are getting. For a test, I would shoot all of them wide open at 24mm, 75mm, 120mm. Then repeat this at f/5.6, f/8. Taking a couple hours may save you a lot of headache and second thoughts later on. As you can see from my post above, the latest version has its struggle with edge sharpness, yet in some shots it is absolutely a stunning lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7014984231/sizes/o/in/set-72157630044833773/

Forgive me for resurrecting an old thread, but I didn't want to start a new one (especially since my question's pertinent to this one). My local-ish camera shop has the three older 24-120's (the D, AFS and AFS VR) in stock used. I picked up the 600 the week it came out, but didn't get the kit lens... now I'm finding that I really miss having a short zoom. Are the lenses as bad as some of the reviews suggest, or is there one of those three that's good enough optically that I won't kick myself for spending the extra $1,100.00 on the f/4?

msmoto said:
Question for those with the the 24-120mm f/4.0 VR.... Here is a shot at 70mm, D4 body, ISO 100, f/8.0 1/250 second. And the center is sharp. The edges are absolutely terrible, fuzzy, yikes.... examine this and tell me this is only one shot, or maybe you can look at your copy and see if at f/8.0 your lens is coming unglued at the edges.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7977498476/sizes/o/in/photostream/
</blockquoteouch, edges look terrible

msmoto said:

ouch, edges look terrible and here I was thinking i may want one of these as a general walk around lens
Question for those with the the 24-120mm f/4.0 VR.... Here is a shot at 70mm, D4 body, ISO 100, f/8.0 1/250 second. And the center is sharp. The edges are absolutely terrible, fuzzy, yikes.... examine this and tell me this is only one shot, or maybe you can look at your copy and see if at f/8.0 your lens is coming unglued at the edges.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7977498476/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Question for those with the the 24-120mm f/4.0 VR.... Here is a shot at 70mm, D4 body, ISO 100, f/8.0 1/250 second. And the center is sharp. The edges are absolutely terrible, fuzzy, yikes.... examine this and tell me this is only one shot, or maybe you can look at your copy and see if at f/8.0 your lens is coming unglued at the edges.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/7977498476/sizes/o/in/photostream/

I ordered it through Henrys.com in Canada.....

Nikon Store in their outlet section currently has a refurbished 24-120 f4 lens in stock if your interested.

@Kmtn... My experience is that the "notify" list at any of the suppliers is a few days behind. Checking early in the morning, and about 7 PM EST or possibly later may be the best way to find it. But, the 24-120mm is my number one walk around lens for FX and it is super sharp. Well worth the wait.

Thanks for your help everyone. I have been on B&H's notify list for that lens and have checked it every day for about two weeks now without results, hence my inquiry here. I will find one eventually.

dVo - where'd you find yours?

I just ordered one and it will be here this week! :)

This is what I would do. B & H will get lenses in, put them on the website, and in a few minutes they are sold. So, if I wanted this lens, I would find the lens at my favorite supplier (B & H ) and bookmark the link for the item I wanted. Then I would check it early in the morning, evening, and you might just get what you want.

My experience is this is a way to get some stuff which is in short supply. They item is in stock only for a few minutes to hours, then gone. And i have purchased several items this way, so I know it works.

Many of the sites which show a "price" do not have the goods in stock. While there may be complaints, due to shortages of equipment, about all suppliers, the sponsors of NRF are in my opinion the reliable sources for equipment.

They are listing the f/4. At the risk of being sent to the corner (or being forced to trade my D90 for a crappy 5DMkIII), I'll post a link:
http://www.photoprice.ca/product/03335/Nikon-AF-S-Zoom-Nikkor-24-120mm-f4G-ED-VR-price.html

(As photoprice posts prices of NR advertisers, I shouldn't be in too terribly much trouble.)

Thanks msmoto.

shawnino - thanks for the info, but photoprice is only listing the f3.5-5.6 lens, I'm looking for the f4 lens.

Photoprice(dot)ca is showing a group of Canadian retailers with stock. $1199 Canadian => $1160 US plus shipping plus duties if any...

Kmtn, new member is asking "Every store in the US seems to be out of stock on this lens. Anyone know where I can find one?"